Cold-tolerant PGPRs as bioinoculants for stress management

Abstract

Cold stress is a major environmental constraint to plant productivity. Cold-induced losses in yield probably exceed those from all other causes, since both the severity and duration of the stress are critical. Plants have evolved special mechanisms to overcome the life-endangering influence of low temperature and to survive freezing. Plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) have a high potential in agriculture because they can improve plant growth, especially under limiting or stress (cold/chilling) conditions. The agricultural importance of cold-tolerant microbes stems from the fact that the world over temperate agro-ecosystems is characterized by low temperatures and short growing seasons that subject both plant and microbial life to cold-temperature induced stress. Hence, there is a need to identify a group of potential PGPRs that could retain their functional traits under cold (low)-temperature conditions. Such microbes can be profitably used as bioinoculants in agricultural production systems in the temperate regions of the world. This chapter deals with the effect of temperature on plants and management of cold stress by using cold-tolerant PGPRs in improving soil quality and productivity of agricultural crops.